Photo via ONE Championship PR
Denice Zamboanga on Atomweight Grand Prix defeat
Denice Zamboanga came out on the losing end of her Grand Prix fight with Seo Hee Ham on September 3rd. The ONE: Empower bout wrapped up via split decision and took place at Singapore Indoor Stadium.
This was the co-feature fight of ONE Championship’s history-making event which was an all-women combat sports extravaganza.
Zamboanga was pressuring heavily with her grappling game during this Atomweight Grand Prix quarter-final contest. Ham was more successful with accruing damage in the eyes of the judges and garnered the decision victory to move on to the semi-final of the tournament.
Denice Zamboanga was ranked number one in ONE’s Atomweight division heading into this bout and tasted the first loss of her professional career here. Ham came into the fight as a promotional debutant but also had the surrounding perception that she was the world’s top Atomweight.
A clash of heads transpired which caused a gash on Zamboanga’s head and a meaningful level of blood soaking into Ham’s fight attire afterward.
A dejected and emotional Zamboanga spoke with the media after the bout despite being torn up about the closely fought fight.
I spoke with Denice Zamboanga at the ONE Championship post-event presser.
Denice Zamboanga was HOT off the restart! #ONEEmpower #WeAreONE #ONEChampionship pic.twitter.com/1i6OKOub0o
— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) September 4, 2021
Denice Zamboanga
Seo Hee Ham being dismissive of Zamboanga before their ONE bout and the respect after the fight
“Yeah, I talked to her when we get here in the hotel. I just said thank you, respect. I respect her. It’s not her fault about the judges.”
If the clashing of heads during the Zamboanga vs Ham bout was a key turning point
“Denice says it didn’t matter to her, the clash of heads. Because for her, it was her that was going to win. Because it was near the last part of the fight. So for her, it should be her win.”
